Natalie Portman’s Latest and Upcoming Projects

The Gallerist: Art, Ambition and Dark Comedy

One of Portman’s most recent starring vehicles is The Gallerist, a darkly comic film directed by Cathy Yan. The movie premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and places Portman inside the glamorous, competitive and frequently eccentric world of contemporary art.

Portman plays Polina Polinski, an ambitious gallery owner preparing for a major Art Basel presentation. What begins as an important professional opportunity develops into a chaotic and increasingly dangerous situation involving a dead body, valuable artwork, celebrity influence and the pursuit of fame.

The impressive ensemble includes Jenna Ortega, Zach Galifianakis, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sterling K. Brown, Daniel Brühl and Charli xcx. The combination of art-world satire, crime and social comedy gives Portman an opportunity to display a more flamboyant and unpredictable side of her screen personality.

Good Sex: A Modern New York Romance

Portman will also lead Good Sex, a romantic comedy written and directed by Lena Dunham for Netflix. Portman plays Ally, a pragmatic couples therapist approaching her fortieth birthday after emerging from a long and unsuccessful relationship.

Returning to the New York dating world, Ally unexpectedly becomes involved with two very different men—one in his twenties and another in his fifties. The premise allows the film to examine attraction, aging, expectations and the complicated formulas people attempt to apply to love.

Mark Ruffalo, Meg Ryan, Rashida Jones, Tramell Tillman and Tucker Pillsbury are among the supporting cast. Portman is not merely the film’s star; she is also producing the project through MountainA, continuing her evolution into a creative decision-maker behind the camera.

With Dunham’s character-driven writing, Meg Ryan’s connection to the classic romantic-comedy tradition and Portman’s dramatic precision, Good Sex has the potential to combine an old-fashioned New York love story with a distinctly modern perspective.

Pumping Black: A Thriller Inside Professional Cycling

Another announced project, Pumping Black, will take Portman into the intense and secretive world of professional cycling. The thriller is expected to pair her with Jonathan Bailey in a story about ambition, physical limits and the potentially dangerous pursuit of athletic relevance.

Bailey is set to play an aging professional cyclist who becomes desperate to extend his career. Portman’s character, Dr. Andrea Lathe, is described as an influential and power-driven figure whose methods may push the athlete far beyond acceptable boundaries.

The subject offers fertile ground for a suspenseful examination of performance enhancement, commercial pressure, medical ethics and the cost of winning. Although the film remains an upcoming production and its eventual release schedule may change, it is among the most intriguing titles on Portman’s developing slate.

Photograph 51: Honoring Rosalind Franklin

Portman is also attached to portray British scientist Rosalind Franklin in Photograph 51, a historical drama to be directed by Tom Hooper.

Franklin’s pioneering work in X-ray crystallography produced crucial evidence concerning the structure of DNA. Her scientific contributions, however, were not fully recognized during her lifetime, and her story has since become an important example of the obstacles faced by women working in science.

The role appears particularly well suited to Portman, whose career has frequently been associated with intellectually complex women confronting restrictive institutions. Portman is herself a Harvard graduate and has long demonstrated an interest in education, literature, history and socially meaningful storytelling.

Should the project move forward as planned, Photograph 51 could become one of the most substantial dramatic performances of the next phase of her career.

Constellations: A New Science-Fiction Development

Portman and Sophie Mas are also developing a screen adaptation of Constellations, a science-fiction story by author Jeff VanderMeer. VanderMeer previously wrote the novel that inspired Annihilation, the visually striking 2018 science-fiction film in which Portman starred as a biologist entering a mysterious and rapidly changing environmental zone.

The new collaboration remains in development, and Portman’s final on-screen participation has not yet been formally established. Nevertheless, the possibility of Portman returning to VanderMeer’s imaginative universe is exciting.

Her work in Annihilation proved that she is highly effective in sophisticated science fiction—particularly stories that combine scientific ideas, psychological uncertainty and questions about human identity. Constellations could continue that exploration while expanding MountainA’s involvement in ambitious genre filmmaking.

Arco: Imagination for a New Generation

Portman’s recent work also includes Arco, an imaginative animated science-fantasy film directed by Ugo Bienvenu. Portman served as a producer and contributed to the English-language voice cast alongside Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, Andy Samberg, America Ferrera and Flea.

The story follows a young boy from a distant future who travels through time and forms a friendship with a girl living in the year 2075. Beneath its colorful visual style, the film considers environmental change, family, technology and the kind of future today’s children may inherit.

Portman has spoken about the value of telling young audiences meaningful stories without underestimating their intelligence. Her participation in Arco reflects both her interest in thoughtful family entertainment and her expanding role as a producer who helps distinctive international projects reach broader audiences.

Fountain of Youth: A Global Adventure

Portman’s recent mainstream work includes Guy Ritchie’s Fountain of Youth, which premiered on Apple TV in 2025. She stars opposite John Krasinski as one of two estranged siblings who reunite for a globe-spanning search for the legendary Fountain of Youth.

Combining history, treasure hunting, elaborate clues and international adventure, the film allowed Portman to step into the tradition of large-scale cinematic escapism. The cast also includes Eiza González, Domhnall Gleeson, Arian Moayed, Laz Alonso, Carmen Ejogo and Stanley Tucci.

The project demonstrated that Portman remains equally comfortable carrying an action adventure, an intimate drama or an unconventional independent production.

More Than a Movie Star

Portman’s growing work as a producer may ultimately become as significant as her acting. Through MountainA, she and Sophie Mas have supported projects that emphasize distinctive filmmakers, substantial female characters, international perspectives and stories that might not fit comfortably into conventional Hollywood categories.

That combination of artistic curiosity and commercial reach has been present throughout Portman’s career. She can inhabit the worlds of Star Wars and Marvel while also appearing in demanding films such as Black Swan, Jackie, May December and A Tale of Love and Darkness, which she also wrote and directed.

Her connection to Israel and Jewish culture has likewise remained an important part of her public story. Born Natalie Hershlag in Jerusalem, she has maintained a relationship with Israeli language, literature, film and history while building a career that reaches audiences throughout the world.

The Next Chapter

No single role can predict Natalie Portman’s next move—and that may be the secret of her longevity. She continues to alternate between spectacle and subtlety, established directors and emerging voices, acting and producing, entertainment and intellectual inquiry.

Some of her announced projects are still developing, and production plans or release dates can always change. What is already apparent, however, is that Portman is entering a creative period defined by unusual range and greater control over the stories she chooses to tell.

From her earlier appearance on the cover of GOOD JEWISH NEWS magazine to her newest work across film and streaming, Natalie Portman remains one of the most accomplished, thoughtful and versatile Jewish artists of her generation.